1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates generally to beverage carafes, and more particularly to an improved disposable storage and dispensing carafe which allows the easy storage, transport and dispensing of a bulk volume of a hot or cold beverage in a throw-away container.
2. Description of the Background
Many food product retailers and food service providers offer their customers carry-out hot or cold beverages. The incremental sales of such hot or cold beverages provide a significant profit margin for such product and service suppliers. However, for the consumer purchasing such hot or cold beverages, a significant safety and product quality challenge exists in transporting volumes in excess of what would be consumed by a single consumer. From a safety perspective, while cardboard trays have been provided in the past to help a consumer transport up to four cups containing a hot or cold beverage, the transport of more than four cups is impractical and presents a safety risk of spilling the beverage and even possibly causing bums to the person carrying the beverages. Moreover, from a product quality perspective, the transport of a tray of multiple hot beverage containers is inclined to cool the beverages much more quickly than would a large volume insulated thermos or carafe. Unfortunately, however, the costs of traditional thermoses or carafes makes their sale as a container for a hot or cold beverage sold in a traditional carry-out or catering business setting highly impractical.
Still further, providing large volume containers for carry-out beverages creates a significant packaging and storage challenge, in that large volume carafes and thermoses take up large amounts of physical space both in shipping vehicles and in storage facilities at retail locations, making their widespread use even more impractical. While nock-down, folded cardboard containers have been used in the past, the use of such a non-rigid material precludes its use for carrying large volumes of a hot or cold beverage (e.g., up to 108 ounces/6 pounds) at one time).
Thus, there is a need in the art for a disposable storage and dispensing carafe which can safely transport and dispense a bulk volume (preferably at least 108 ounces) of a hot or cold beverage and which may be manufactured at sufficiently low cost to enable the carafe to be disposed of after use, and which is collapsible so as to allow easy transport to and storage at a retail establishment or the like.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cost efficient, disposable storage and dispensing carafe which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposable storage and dispensing carafe which enables easy, safe dispensing of the contents of the carafe.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a disposable storage and dispensing carafe having an insulated exterior to maintain the temperature of the carafe contents and to protect persons and objects from inadvertent bums from contacting a stored hot beverage.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a disposable storage and dispensing carafe having a rigid first means for manually transporting the carafe, and a rigid second means for dispensing the carafe contents.
It is still even yet another object of the present invention to provide a disposable storage and dispensing carafe having a rigid frame with a readily replaceable fluid content carrier.
In accordance with the above objects, a disposable storage and dispensing carafe is disclosed which enables the easy transport and dispensing of a large volume (preferably at least 96 to 128 fluid ounces) of a liquid without risk of bum or spillage of the carafe contents. The carafe comprises a rigid, generally rectangular frame having a dispensing outlet at its upper end, an insulated, waterproof, generally pliable or plastic bag for holding the fluid to be dispensed at up to 250xc2x0 F. and having an opening at its upper end, a rigid spout affixed to the plastic bag at its opening, and means on the rigid spout for attaching the spout to the dispensing outlet of the frame. The frame is also provided a handle having a carrying portion and a dispensing portion. Insulating material preferably in the form of a corrugated paperboard jacket is connected to the frame about the pliable or plastic bag after it is positioned within the frame.